


The Untold Chronicles (Part 1)

by Elfyna



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Drama & Romance, F/M, Humour, Magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-25
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 03:09:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4205694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elfyna/pseuds/Elfyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is said that some lives are linked across Time, connected by an ancient calling that echoes through the Ages...Destiny. Can Merlin evade his? As two heroines are introduced into the legend, both his and Arthur's lives change forever. Romance guaranteed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New beginnings

"Come on Gwen, not far now. Once we've reached Camelot we can get something to eat and rest." Marina herself was fighting to keep going. She had been trudging through the woods for hours now, and her feet were starting to complain. So was her stomach in fact. Her last meal had been three days ago, meagre portions of bread and water was all she'd had to go on since then. Her determination was the only thing that kept her from giving up – that and the fact that she was not alone. She had promised her mother that she would do whatever it took to reach Camelot, and she had to. No matter how hard the journey was, she had to. It was her mother's dying wish that she leave the village and finds work in Camelot. Her childhood friend had refused to let her go on this perilous journey on her own, and thus had insisted on coming. Although Marina had protested, secretly she was glad to have her friend by her side; somehow it made all the hardships they came across a lot easier for Marina to bear. Her friend's voice drifted amongst her thoughts and she realised that Gwen had been talking to her for a while.

"I really hope we do manage to find a job in Camelot, or we're in big trouble. I suppose we could always try to get a job as maids in the castle, if all else fails, although I don't fancy cleaning tables and making beds for the rest of my life..."

Gwen's brave attempts at humour raised Marina's spirit a little, as it never failed to. "I'm sure being a maid in the royal household can't be all that bad." She said, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, oh, 'cause mucking out stables, cleaning floors, serving others and doing the laundry is not all that bad?!"

"Ha! Okay, point made. But it does mean that you get an actual room to sleep in..."

"Oh yeah, a room in the servant's quarters. How nice."

"Well, beats this anyway."

"Yeah you're right there...But then anything is better than sleeping on damp grass crawling with God knows what, with wolves probably lurking around and nothing to eat but bread and water. And no shelter. Okay. Rant over."

Whilst Marina was trying not to worry her friend, she was actually concerned as to what she would do when they reached Camelot. She didn't have a particular skill or talent, apart from an interest in science, which she shared with her friend. But she had never been able to nurture that interest; there was no place for science in her village. Especially not the kind she was interested in, which was not really science at all, but magic. She knew that the practice of magic would earn a token straight to the stake, but she couldn't help being fascinated by it. There were so many tales of great sorcerers who achieved great things through its use. Her mother used to sing about such sorcerers, and tell her many tales from the day when magic was not regarded as something to be feared, but as an art.

"Marina? Horses coming our way I think..."

Gwen was right; the sound of horses' hoofs on the damp forest soil could be heard echoing through the silence.

"Hey Marina, I think we should ask the way to Camelot"

"But we know our way to Camelot."

"No, you do, or at least you said you did, but I'm sure I've seen this tree about three times now..."

"You're right, okay I will. Maybe they'll take pity on us and give us a ride on that horse..."

"Don't count on it, I bet its some stinking arrogant knight or highly placed buffoon of the court who likes to spend his nights drinking and his days terrorising villagers."

"What is it with you and knights? Why do you hate them so much?"

"You shouldn't even be asking me that question!They're the ones who sit on their backsides when villages like ours get ransacked and people butchered!"

"Well, I heard that one knight, actually I think it was the prince himself, came to the rescue of a village that was raided frequently, and put a stop to it."

"Humph. That was just a device to swell the guy's ego. Nothing to do with knights actually having any kind of decency."

"Well, I hope that if we do end up working as maids you won't be serving knights."

The horse and its rider suddenly came into their field of vision, and Marina's breath was cut short as she saw who it was. "Gwen. It's the Prince."

"How do you know?"

Marina couldn't explain it, but there was something about the young man. Something almost...magical. And she knew that her friend felt it too. Suddenly, she realised that he was not alone. Beside him was a young man, tall, with dark hair, and handsome enough in his own way, but what captured Marina's attention was something else. His eyes, the colour of running water, entranced her, and seemed to reach deep inside her soul, stirring something within. There's definitely something magical about this one, she thought.

"Ladies, may I interrupt your journey for a quick enquiry?" the young prince asked.

Trying to shake off the strange feeling, Marina swallowed hard and walked towards the Prince and stranger. However, she found she could not speak, for the eyes of the stranger captivated her so intensely she found it hard to concentrate. Thankfully, Gwen was not as debilitated by the stranger's gaze and came to Marina's rescue.

"Of course you may, Sire."

"I'm in search of the King of Camelot's ward, Lady Morgana. She has been missing for over three months now. Have you by any chance seen or heard about her on your travels?"

"No, sorry Sire, we have been travelling for a while now and we have not come across anyone." Gwen paused before asking,

"Sire, we, ourselves, are seeking the city of Camelot, would you kindly point us in the right direction?"

The prince considered Gwen's question for a few seconds, as if unsure as to its meaning. Marina noticed that his gaze had not left her friend since he'd first laid eyes on her. She could see him taking in the long, velvety locks that hung gracefully over her shoulders, her big, expressive brown eyes, and her soft, creamy complexion. Although Gwen had never been aware of her own attraction, Marina doubted it had eluded the Prince. Finally he spoke.

"We are headed back there now. Perhaps you'd like to join us?"

Marina saw that the stranger's eyebrows shot up as the Prince made the suggestion, as if he was not expecting it. She hoped the Prince would introduce himself and his companion soon; she hated to be kept in the dark for too long. Gwen shot her a look, as if to ask what she should reply to the Prince's unexpected suggestion. Marina gave her a slight nod of the head, and Gwen accepted the Prince's offer.

"Thank you, this would be greatly appreciated. We've been travelling for days without certainty or clear directions."

"Here, have my horse, you and your companion can take turns."

"Oh no Sire we couldn't! Walking will do just fine!"

Marina made a mental note of reminding Gwen of the conversation they just had about knights and princes later, as she saw, albeit with some amusement, her friend furiously blushing as she, no doubt, recalled the earlier conversation they had too.

"No no, I insist. You are clearly tired and in great need of rest. Oh, and I almost forgot, I have not introduced myself. I am Prince Arthur of Camelot. And this here is my servant, Merlin." The stranger bowed his head awkwardly as the Prince introduced him. "And you are?"

"My name is Gwen, and this is my close friend Marina."

The Prince looked somewhat surprised, "Your name is Gwen too?" Then, almost to himself, he said "I did not think it was a common name..."

"It's not. With all due respect Sire, although people may be allocated to certain classes, names are not. Gwen is a name good as any and I – "

"Oh, I'm sorry, I should have made myself clearer...I only meant that I didn't think it was a widely used name...We also have a Gwen back in the castle..."

"Oh...Oh I see..." Gwen just about managed to hide her embarrassment, hoping that the Prince would not notice.

Having gone through the introductions, Gwen attempted a few more protestations, but realising that the Prince could not be swayed, she mounted on the horse and, somewhat embarrassed, proceeded to fall into deep conversation with the Prince.

"Great" Marina thought, "Now I'm left to make conversation with the strange awkward servant with the weird eyes. This should be fun."

Merlin clearly was not one used to initiating conversation, therefore, after a short and uncomfortable silence, Marina decided to break it.

"So...you're a Prince's servant. Must be fun."

"Yeah", Merlin shook his head in mock agreement. "It's great! I get to change his bed sheets, clean his boots, polish his armour... So much fun."

"Merlin I'm not deaf you know, I can hear you. And just for that you'll have to muck out the stables when we get to Camelot."

Merlin gave Marina a look that clearly spelled out "you see my point", and the latter couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"I see your 'prince' is not much of a prince in character!" she said between laughs, "How did he even hear you anyway?"

"I have no idea..."

Marina could see a hint of a smile forming on the young man's lips, and she caught herself wondering how handsome he would be when he genuinely smiled. "Oh for god's sake, get a grip" she thought. She felt his gaze upon her and burnt up at the thought of him being able to read her mind.

"What's your business in Camelot anyway? If you don't mind my asking...Do you live there?

"No, my friend and I live in a village further north from here. It's hard to find much money or food there, so my mother advised me to come here, to earn a living in Camelot."

"Oh. So you have no relatives here? You might find it hard...Everyone knows each other in Camelot, and newcomers are often received with a fair amount of suspicion."

"It's the only chance we have. It is the closest city to our village. We were hoping that the King might show us a little mercy and perhaps take us on as maids to work in the castle."

"You could speak to Arthur. He might be able to help you."

"Do you think?"

"It's worth a try. What've you got to lose? We'll be reaching Camelot in a relatively short amount of time so you should talk to him now...if you want to that is."

Thanking Merlin, Marina caught up with Gwen and the Prince, who were still engrossed in what must have been a very interesting conversation, for when Marina called out to them, neither seemed to have heard her.

"Prince Arthur!"

She was being ignored!

Merlin had joined her and called out to Arthur, who eventually turned around.

"Arthur, Marina has been telling me that she hopes to gain an audience with the King to ask if she and her companion may become maids in the ca-

"Merlin, I know."

"-stle, you see, they don't have any re-"

"Merlin. I know."

"-latives so it would be very difficult for them to find a living in Camelot. I really think you should-"

"MERLIN!"

"Yes?"

"Do you ever listen? I know all that. Gwen has told me everything. And I've told her that I shall help in any way I can. Now quit rambling."

Marina found it hard to believe their luck. She had never imagined that the Prince would care about their misfortune let alone offer his help. As she and Merlin walked side by side, now surrounded by an easy silence, she saw the sun was about to set, and the castle of Camelot came into focus in the distance, and thanked God that Gwen and herself had come across the Prince and Merlin, and could only pray that the King would show them as much kindness as they had.

**oOo**

As they entered the castle, Gwen couldn't help but gaze in awe around her, due to of the magnificence and sheer size of the fortress. The architecture itself was a breathtaking mix of art and gracefulness, emitting such a strong sense of character and spirit that she felt the castle would soon come alive in front of her very eyes.

"My father is with his council at this moment. I shall introduce your case to him myself when he has finished."

The Prince had been so polite and pleasant to her that she found it hard not to smile each time he turned to her. . Gwen found both his looks and character captivating; she felt a secret attraction towards his soft crystal blue eyes which were so perfectly framed by his golden hair.

The reason as to his concern for her and Marina's well-being was beyond her, but she couldn't deny the fact that his presence had been a blessing to both Marina and herself. It seemed that not all rich people were selfish; in fact, this one was very much selfless. "He'll make a great King someday", she thought. "I hope he inherited his kindness from his father and that the King will understand and help us as his son has done already." Marina came to stand by her side, smiling.

"So, I see you found your Prince Charming!"

"Shut up it's not like that!" Said Gwen, smiling despite herself.

"Uh-uh, yep, no, it's not...not AT ALL..."

"Marina! I've only just met him okay!"

"Well that hasn't stopped you from being glued to his side from the moment you met him! C'mon admit it!"

Gwen was accustomed to Marina's teasing. It had always been this way, and she'd learnt not to take the bait, although in all honesty, she wouldn't have minded further attention from the Prince. But then, who would.

"Gwen, come back to earth! Stop thinking about him and actually listen to me!"

"Shush what if he hears you?!"

"Pff, I bet you his hearing is really bad, I mean he did have to listen to you all afternoon..." Marina gave her a quick, cheeky grin and walked away towards the Prince's servant.

"My father will see you now."

Gwen followed the Prince into the glorious great hall, stopping just before the King's throne. Another throne was to his left, but it was empty. "Probably the prince's" she thought. The King did not seem to be in an agreeable mood; his blue eyes seemed troubled, and his forehead furrowed as if he was extremely worried. "This is not good" thought Gwen. Marina came to stand beside her, whilst Merlin stayed a few yards away. Gwen readied herself to speak out but the Prince had already started explaining.

"Father, I encountered these two young women on my way back to Camelot. Their village has been burnt to the ground and their families chased out of their homes. They were headed for Camelot to seek refuge and earn a living. However, having no relatives or acquaintances here, they may find this task hard, if not impossible."

"Well? I am extremely sorry to hear of this, but what is it that you want me to do?"

"I ask for you to consider the possibility of undertaking these women as maids to work here."

"No. I have no need for further servants. We already have all we need."

"Father, please. Extra servants can do no harm, and some of them are getting old. They are starting to find the workload difficult to cope with."

"Arthur. Why is it you seek my permission when you always end up countering my decisions with your own?"

"I am not countering your decisions, merely expressing my own opinion on the matter."

The King fell silent. Marina and Gwen looked at each other, certain that he would refuse. Gwen's heart felt as if it would explode, she couldn't bear the silence any longer. Marina's and her fate were at stake here. If the king refused to take them, where would they go? What would they do? She waited for the King's reply, her hands trembling and heart hammering in her chest. "Dear god", she thought, "please let him say yes."

"Arthur."

"Yes father?"

"Be aware that you shall be fully responsible for these young women. If anything goes wrong, you shall be the one I will speak to. Is that clear?"

"Yes father, thank you."

Gwen could hardly stand still. The King had agreed! She looked at Marina who clearly felt as elated as she, and thanked God for their good fortune. The King looked at Marina and Gwen for a moment, and finally addressed them.

"I trust you are familiar with the rules of Camelot?"

Marina spoke up, answering the King's question.

"Yes my lord, we are. It is common knowledge that the practice of magic in Camelot is forbidden."

"Not just the practice. Anyone having anything to do with it shall be executed. I trust that you shall not be foolish enough to break this rule?"

"No, we shall not."

Gwen could sense Marina's frustration, but hoped that the King did not. Marina's strange fascination with magic could lead them into trouble here. Although she herself felt the ban of its practice unfair, she was not as passionate about the subject as her friend was. She would have to speak about this with Marina later on.

Arthur signalled to them that it was time to leave the Hall, having gotten what they wanted. Once outside, the Prince asked Merlin to show the girls the way to the servants' quarters, and left.

"The rooms aren't very big, and you will have to share." Said Merlin apologetically.

"As long as there's a bed and a roof over our heads, it'll feel like heaven" Replied Marina.

Merlin showed them to the room that they were to share henceforth, and left them to settle.

"Gwen, can you believe our luck?! We've been rescued by a Prince, reached Camelot in one piece and got ourselves a job!"

"I know! I can hardly believe it myself!"

"Oh! Two beds! The way Merlin described it was as if there was only one bed that we'd have to share! That's what I thought anyway."

"Ooh, Merlin now is it?"

"Well I can't very well go round calling him 'the servant'."

"For all the teasing you've done, I think that you've got something going on yourself!"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous!" Marina laughed "He freaks me out with those eyes of his anyway...I feel as if he can read minds or something."

"Wouldn't matter though would it? I mean, you've got nothing to hide...unless you  _do_  like him in which case it's another matter altogether!"

"I see what you're trying to do, don't think I don't!"

"What?!"

"You're trying to keep the conversation from coming towards you and Arthur!"

"I am NOT!"

"Yes you are."

"Marina! Look; he's a prince. I'm a servant. Would I really be stupid enough to fall in love with him when I know nothing can happen?"

"Oh please, what an ancient excuse! Like you can help who you fall in love with!"

"Well, I can."

"No you can't."

"Marina?"

"Yup?"

"Just go to sleep."

"Haha, fat chance of that happening! This conversation is too interesting!"

"Not if I stop talking."

"Oh don't do that!...Gwen?...Gwen?...Oh c'mon!... Damn."

As she drifted off to sleep, Gwen couldn't help but recount the moments she had spent with the prince, and although she knew that it was not something that could ever happen, she let herself dream of what could be, if only she was of noble blood. She was unaware of the smile that formed on her lips as she fell fast asleep.


	2. Lady in Red

Many weeks had gone by; Marina and Gwen had both gotten accustomed to the tasks that were required of them, and began thoroughly enjoying themselves. Of course being a servant in a Royal household was not easy, but the friendships they had forged during their stay made it all more than worthwhile. Marina was happy, and hoped that her mother could somehow feel the happiness she felt every day.

"Marina! Marina, wait!"

Marina saw Guinevere hurrying towards her and smiled. Not her friend Gwen, but the maid who Arthur had referred to when they had first met in the forest. She hadn't known her for very long, but the very little she did know of her made her sure that Guinevere was a genuine and kind-hearted person.

"Marina, I need you to do me a favour!"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Gaius asked me to bring him an ingredient he needs for one of his potions, from the market, but there's something really important that I have to do. Could you please go to the market for me instead?"

"Er, yeah okay I guess I could, I just need you to tell me what he needs."

"It's a rare herb, he didn't tell me the name, he just said that the lady on the stall would know what it was."

"Oh, okay... Well, where is her stall?"

"She's set up a tent towards the far end of the market...you can't miss it, it's bright red.

"Thanks, I'll go straight away."

"Great! Thanks Marina, I owe you!"

"Don't mention it!"

Marina set off for the market, wondering what it was that could be so urgent for Guinevere to ask her to go instead. Lost in her thoughts, she reached the market, not paying attention to all the haggling and selling going on around her. She loved the market, strange, colourful things were on display everywhere, and she often liked to imagine what they were for. Pulling herself from her thoughts, she located the tent, and went inside; hoping that the lady would know what herb it was she needed. The tent did not seem big from the outside, but once Marina stepped in, she gasped. The tent was big. Very big. And full of jewels and diamonds which were hanging from the ceiling. Dream catchers were strewn around the tent, twisting and turning to a non-existent breeze. Marina seriously considered turning back; it did not seem like the tent of someone who sold herbs...More like a tent of a fortune teller.

"What is it you want my dear?"

Marina spun around, only to find herself facing a beautiful woman, dressed in an elegant, deep sea-green gown. Her green eyes seem to cut through Marina, "Just like Merlin" she thought. Her red, fiery hair hung loosely on her shoulders, framing her beautiful, graceful face. Marina could not breathe. The woman's presence, her aura, was too strong, too impressive.

"Do not be afraid my child. Speak up, and name your business here."

The woman's hold over Marina seemed to suddenly wear off, letting her come to her senses.

"I come from the castle, the court physician Gaius needs a rare herb and..." Marina's voice trailed off as she felt increasingly stupid. What kind of an errand had Guinevere sent her on? She didn't even know what kind of herb it was!

"I know which herb you speak of, and I shall give it to you, but first, let me read your fortune."

"No thank you ma'am, I have to get back as soon as I have gotten what I need."

"Do not tell me you do not believe in this art? I know you do child. I can feel the pull it has on you. Magic."

Marina gasped. The woman had spoken as if she knew her, as if she really could see through her.

"I...I don't know what you mean..." Aware that her voice sounded weak, Marina felt sure that the fortune teller would not believe her.

"Oh I think you do. But you fight it. You fight your powers. You need to embrace your magic."

"Excuse me?!" Marina felt as if the floor was going to give way underneath her. Magic? Powers? What was this woman talking about?

"My child, you are magical. This is why you are drawn to magic. This is why Uther Pendragon's ban of magic infuriates you so much."

And with this affirmation, the beautiful woman crossed the short distance between her and Marina, and grasped her hand, palm up, inspecting it intently. Suddenly, she looked at Marina, her eyes full of urgency. She grasped her by the shoulders.

"My dear. You must accept your powers. You must! The destiny of Camelot depends on that."

"WHAT?! Are you mad?"

"The destiny of a great Kingdom lies on the shoulders of a young boy. It is this boy whom you must assist and protect, with your powers."

"Okay, Lady, with all due respect, I don't understand a thing you are saying, and besides, what kingdom? What young boy?"

"You shall understand in time, but first, it is most important that you learn to master your powers."

"This is crazy. I don't know any boy who practices magic and I certainly have NO powers."

"But you do Marina. Think. There is someone. A boy that you know, one with whom you share a particular bond; that of magic."

"Nope. I'm sorry, the only boy I know is Merlin."

"Yes, Merlin."

"What?! You mean  _Merlin_ -? No, you're wrong. So incredibly wrong. Merlin is just an ordinary servant, just as I am. Look I'm sorry but I really need to get back."

"Marina, if you don't accept your powers, all will be lost."

Marina was really starting to feel angry. It was all going so fast; too many absurd details were being thrown at her, making it difficult for her to keep up. Who did this woman think she was, telling her that the destiny of Camelot depended on her and Merlin? Like that was likely. Camelot didn't mean much to her and anyway, and more importantly, she had no magic in her. At all. Didn't that woman understand?

"I HAVE NO POWERS!"

"Think what you will child, but if you do not come to your senses, I will have to implicate myself further than I already have done."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

The woman took Marina's hands in both of her own and closed her eyes. Trying to pull her hand away, Marina found that she couldn't. Panic flooded through her as she felt a slow, burning, consuming heat seemingly originating from the woman's hands coursing through her body, with such intensity that Marina felt sure she would burn to death. Suddenly, as quick as it had come, it vanished, leaving her tired and drained of energy. 'I have got to leave' she thought, 'this woman is dangerous', and mustering all the energy she could, wrenched her hand away and stumbled out of the tent, making her way back towards the castle as fast as her trembling legs permitted her. It was only once she was safe inside the castle walls that she let herself stop and rest. She then realised that she had left without the herb.

**oOo**

Gwen was getting ready for bed when Marina came in, looking unusually tired and somewhat upset. "Rough day?"

"Uh-uh"

"Marina?"

"Mmm?"

"Did you have a fight with Merlin?"

"What? No? Why? Did he say something?"

"No calm down! You just look a bit upset, so I thought I'd ask..."

"Oh... Oh no it's not that..."

"What then?"

Marina took a deep breath, and launched into a retelling of the afternoon's events. Although Gwen did not interrupt, a million questions buzzed through her head.

"So you've never met this woman before?"

"No."

"Hmm, it's strange that she knew your name. And your fascination with magic. And the fact that you know Merlin..."

"I know. But I'm sure I've never seen her before...Gwen...she said I was magical...that I had powers."

Gwen could see a glimmer of hope in Marina's eyes. She knew that her friend would almost kill to be amongst those who had magic in them. However, she owed her friend the truth...Besides, reason itself showed that this was not possible.

"That's not possible though. Things like that are inherited aren't they? And your mum or dad did not practice magic...No; she must have been putting on a show, hoping you'd give her some money for all her troubles probably..."

Still, the explanation did not appear to satisfy Marina. Gwen soon found out why.

"There's more to it than that...When I came back to the castle, I saw Guinevere. I tried explaining to her what happened, but she just stared at me as if I was mad."

"Well, that's not surprising...it must have sounded slightly...fantastical."

"But that's not it you see, that's not it. Because Guinevere then told me that  _she had never seen me that afternoon._ Someone else wanted me there."

"That's not possible Marina. It can't be."

"Unless magic was used."

"Even so, who would want you to be there?"

"I don't know...Maybe it was the woman herself."

"Marina, I don't like this. We left to get away from trouble, not run into more of it."

"I know, I know..."

As they both settled into their beds to sleep, Gwen thought of how strange all this was, and started to doubt that coming to Camelot had been the right decision to make.


	3. Ups and Downs

"Gwen?" A servant was hurrying towards her, holding a small bag, "Could you bring this to Gaius please? I'd get Merlin to do it but he's busy attending to Arthur."

"Of course."

"Thanks."

Gwen took the bag of herbs and made her way towards Gaius' chambers. Finding the room empty, she placed it on the table and was about to leave when something caught her eye. A book entitled " _The miracle remedies of nature_ " was positioned on the table, begging to be read. Gwen checked that she was definitely alone, and in a flash, was sitting down, and leafing through it. She was so engrossed in its contents that she did not notice the figure standing in the doorway.

"Interesting, is it?"

Gwen dropped the book in surprise and stood up, ashamed at having been caught.

"I'm sorry sir I...I didn't mean to pry."

"That's quite alright. I'm just surprised that anyone would find the contents of the book so interesting that they'd sit here for hours."

"I haven't been..."

Panicking, Gwen realised that she  _had_  been reading for over two hours! She had so much to do and she'd managed to waste her time reading a stupid book on a subject she probably would never be able to learn much about!

"Do you have an interest in science?"

"Yes, I do, but I've never been able to take it anywhere..."

Gaius looked at Gwen for a few moments before finally saying: "You know...Merlin started out as my apprentice, but didn't get very far...His interest in science is practically non-existent, and Arthur keeps him too busy for him to even attempt assisting me. It would be nice to have an assistant who really cared about their work for a change..."

Gwen was dying to ask him to take her on as apprentice, but she knew it was not possible...She had already benefited from such good fortunes, asking for more would be madness...And yet...

"How would you feel about becoming an apprentice to an old physician like me? Wouldn't be much fun, but you wouldn't have to hide to read that book..."

Gwen was at loss as to what to say...Her dearest wish had been to become a physician, and here was the first step to realising that wish! Gaius saw the pure joy displayed on Gwen's face, and wasted no time in informing her that as soon as the King's permission was obtained, she could start work. Gwen doubted things could get any better than this; and for the millionth time in these past few weeks, closed her eyes and thanked God. Her eyes were gleaming and sparkling as tears embraced them, drowned them until they finally leaked onto her cheeks. There were no words to describe her happiness as she looked on excitedly at the old man's soft yet fragile features.

"I'm to be Gaius' apprentice?!" She thought, "How is all this happening to me?!"

Moments later Gwen managed to mumble,

"Um... thank you Gaius! I...I don't know what to say!"

"Say nothing child, there is no need to thank me! Such talent cannot be wasted. Now hurry along, I have a potion to prepare for one of the knights, apparently he was knocked unconscious in a challenge against Prince Arthur!"

The sound of the Prince's name snapped Gwen out of her trance only to pull her right into another and for some peculiar reason she felt her heart rate double. She quickly turned on her heals and started for the door. Gwen's emotions were knocking against her chest; she could yell with joy and happi-

The sound of glass crashing against the marble tiles shook Gwen back to reality. She had walked right into Gaius' potion table which stood inches from the door.

"Oh God... No!" she groaned.

"Just leave it... It's fine! I'll get Merlin to sort it out when he gets back... but take care now." Gwen was relieved to hear the amusement in Gaius' voice that left no room for anger or annoyance. "What is going on today?" she mused as Gaius' chuckle carried through the corridor behind her.

She had to get to Marina.

Gwen couldn't help but wonder how her best friend would react. She would be so proud... if not slightly in disbelief... maybe even hysterical...

"Gwen!"

...She was sure of receiving a 'Marina hug', one that, if survived, was actually really enjoyable!

"GWENEVERE!"

Prince Arthur looked down upon his clearly occupied maid with a concerned frown verging on amusement.

"Sorry Sire... I was just... um... heading toward the servants' quarters..." Gwen managed to say while holding her breath and blushing furiously.

"There is no need to apologise; it's just that you looked rather pleased, in fact I would say more joyful. May I be so rude as to ask why?"

"Well Sire... Gaius... he's..."

"Yes?"

"Gaius wants me to be his apprentice..." Gwen managed to blurt out.

She lifted her eyes from the corridor floor to study the Prince's face. She wasn't sure what to expect, but when she saw the corners of his lips tug, her heart fluttered, threatening to jump out of her chest.

"That is merely to be expected Gwen!" With that, the Prince winked and brushed past her without looking back.

It took Gwen several minutes to remember how to breathe let alone walk. She felt a tingle in her arm where she had received the smallest of touches from Prince Arthur.

"... way too much...me... apprentice... Gaius...!" Gwen mumbled incoherently, under her breath, as she made her way to Marina.

Marina... her only touch with reality, in fact, her only touch with sanity at this moment in time. Her mind racing with all of the opportunities she imagined obtaining from her new job, Gwen managed to find her way back to the servants' quarters.

"Are you alright?" Marina asked, her words laced with concern as she looked upon her friend who seemed completely lost.

"Marina..."

"Yes? Gwen, what happened? You're sort of scaring me...Is everything alright?"

Gwen looked her friend square in the face and screeched,

"I'm Gaius' APPRENTICE!"

Marina's face transformed within seconds from concern to pure joy and relief.

"What... wow...wait, when did you find out?!"

"Just now! I was in Gaius' chamber and there was this book on the table, I only meant to flick through it but then I got so engrossed in it! Oh, pure magic it was! Did you know that the only thing that can cure- oh never mind I'll tell you later...Anyway, as I was saying, I'd started reading the book but then obviously, being me, I got caught. But instead of punishing me, Gaius took me on as his apprentice!"

"Oh Gwen, I'm in wonder. We must have some sort of guardian angel. I can't believe this; you're finally getting what you've always wanted!"

Without warning, Marina launched herself at Gwen. She wrapped her arms around her friend in a steel embrace as pride radiated from her body, simultaneously engulfing Gwen. The force of their embrace caused the two girls to topple over onto Marina's bed where they sat giggling for what seemed to be hours.

**oOo**

A few days later, Marina was hurrying towards Gaius' chambers to see Gwen. Now that she was working as an apprentice, she didn't see as much of her as she used to. When they both worked as servants, they would often see each other in corridors, or end up being asked to do the same chores. Now though, things were different. To make up for this, Marina went to see Gwen every evening, and they would then make their way to their chambers together. Upon arriving and finding the door closed, Marina knocked, and was let in by Merlin.

"Glad you're here, can't stand much more of this..."

Marina smiled; it always puzzled her, the fact that Merlin disliked science. How on earth did he manage to become Gaius' apprentice initially if he didn't have any interest in it? She had already tried to ask Merlin that, but he just shrugged, as if it was not important, just as he did with many of her questions. In fact, Marina knew virtually nothing of his circumstances. His past, his family, his prospects, were all unknown to her. It pained her in a way. She had known him for a while now, and yet, every time she tried to reach out to him, to find out a bit more, he would close up. She felt as if there was a wall between them, and although she had at first thought she could break through it, she now started to doubt that she would ever learn who he was.

"Look at them. You'd think they were gushing over a baby, not a gooey mixture of God only knows what!"

Merlin grinned at her, and was about to say something else when a huge bang shook up the room. Panicking, Merlin grabbed Marina's hand and ran out of the room. Marina, blinded by all the dust swirling around madly, screamed out for Gwen. Merlin rushed back into the room, leaving Marina behind, to find Gaius and Gwen. For a few excruciatingly long seconds, Marina waited for him to come back with them. Suddenly, she heard laughter. Gwen's laughter. Confused beyond words now, Marina carefully made her way back to the chamber amongst the debris and dust, only to find Gwen and Merlin rolling about on the floor, in hysterical fits of laughter whilst Gaius observed them, an amused expression on his face. Now she was seriously confused.

"What's going on?!"

Gaius proceeded to brushing the dust from his tunic, then answered Marina's question.

"It seems that Gwen got a little over-excited with potion making and poured too much all too quickly."

And on that note, a slight smile formed on Gaius' lips, bewildering Marina even further.

Gwen and Merlin, finally coming out of their hysteria, got up and started putting the room back into place. Marina was about to do the same when suddenly, she felt a strange, intense heat taking hold of her. Reaching out to steady herself, she found Merlin's arm. The latter, sensing her distress, attempted to steady her, but it was no use. The heat had taken away all her energy. She tried to fight it, to keep it from consuming her, but the room had now started spinning, faster and faster, until Marina finally succumbed and let herself fall in Merlin's arms.

**oOo**

Merlin carried Marina to Gaius' bed, wondering how she had fallen ill so quickly. She had seemed perfectly fine just minutes ago. Perhaps it was all the dust flying around...No, dust wouldn't cause someone to have a fever. Touching her forehead, Merlin winced. She was burning!

"Gaius! Gaius I don't know what's happening to her! She's burning!"

The old Physician touched Marina's forehead, then took her hand in his. His face was etched with concern.

"Gwen, could you get some water please."

As Gwen ran out of the room, Gaius turned to Merlin.

"This is not an ordinary fever Merlin. No one burns up that fast..."

"What are you saying? Do you think this has something to do with magic?!"

"I hope not. Although I would not be surprised if it did."

Merlin looked at Marina, her hand in his, thoughts racing in his mind. For the first time, he took in her gleaming hair that fell down in long, luxurious waves of dark black locks, her smooth olive tone that complemented those deep brown eyes he knew so well. He had to confess: Marina was painfully attractive. Why would anyone want to do this to her? Who could have done this to her? She had no relatives or acquaintances in Camelot...None of this made any sense! Suddenly, he felt her hand twitching in his, and saw her eyes move underneath her eyelids. She was clearly reacting to something...But what?


	4. A Disturbing Request

Marina opened her eyes only to find herself lying down...on a forest floor by the looks of it. Completely bemused as to how she got there, she tried standing up, gasping as an invisible force forced her back down. Frightened, she tried again, and the same force violently pushed her back down. Trapped, surrounded by darkness and utterly helpless, Marina called out for help. No answer. Several minutes passed, but only the sound of the wind rustling the leaves of the trees could be heard.

"I'm sorry I've had to take such measures, but you must understand my child, it is for your own good."

"You?!"

The elegant, outlandish lady from the tent was slowly advancing towards Marina's helpless, crumpled form, stopping only inches away.

"Don't be afraid; you have the power to escape this."

"Who are you?! Where am I? Why are you doing this?"

"These questions are unimportant."

"Please, I beg of you, bring me back..."

"I already told you, you can leave when you want..."

"But I can't! When I try to stand up I...I get pushed back!"

"Use your powers..."

The Lady's soothing voice calmed Marina's fear and panic, giving way to her anger.

"It's this again isn't it?! I HAVE NO POWERS! DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?!"

"You do child, you do..."

Marina's anger gradually mounted to hysteria, as she realised that this weird, crazy woman was not going to let her go without being satisfied.

"Your powers are dormant, deep within yourself, you just have to reach out..."

"STOP IT! STOP IT; I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY MORE! DON'T YOU THINK I WOULD HAVE FOUND HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MY POWERS BY NOW? I WOULD  _KILL_  TO HAVE THEM! BUT I DON'T, AND I HAVE ACCEPTED THAT NOW...IF I HAD, THEN..."

Unable to carry on, Marina collapsed into tears, sobbing without restraint, rocking back and forth on the dirty forest floor. If only she was magical. She would have been able to save her mother from her fate. Marina could see it all again, as if she was there now, reliving the event. Her mother running for cover to their cottage, during the attack, calling out for her to come back in. Marina had not heard her mother, and had carried on running away, frightened to death, towards the field that was near their village. Her mother had turned back to go get her, but was pierced by a sword before she was able to reach her daughter. Marina had ran back to her mother, screaming, crying, stumbling across dead bodies as she was blinded by the flames that now consumed everything. She could have saved her. With magic, she could have done something.

**oOo**

"Gaius...Gaius...she's crying! She's...she's crying!"

"What? Are you sure?!"

"Look..."

Merlin could see the tears running down Marina's face, and wondered what was happening...Convinced now that it could not be just an ordinary fever, he was worried. Very, in fact, because he could not even start to guess who was behind this. Or what was happening to her. He found it unbearable, seeing her like this, and yet knowing that he could do nothing. Unless...

"Gaius. I think I should try to wake her..."

"She's too deeply asleep. No amount of shaking would help."

"I meant magically."

"Oh. What if she heard you...or saw..."

"Gaius, we don't know what's happening to her, she's crying for God's sake! I have to do something!"

"Do what you think is best Merlin. But be careful."

Concentrating upon waking Marina, Merlin recalled the incantation needed, and focused all his energy on it.

_"Ic acwoce the! Ic the bebeode thaet thu me slaepest! Brimstream!"_

Nothing. Merlin tried again, and again, and again...

**oOo**

Marina had managed to calm down. Although still crying, her tears were silent now...as she slowly wrenched herself from her past and the pain that she had carried with her since her mother's death, she tried to focus on her current situation.

"Stand up."

Through her tears, Marina saw that the woman had walked away, to stand directly opposite where she sat.

"I can't..."

"Yes you can. Stand up."

Marina tried to stand, but her knees gave way underneath her. She was too weak.

"I said  _stand UP_!"

The sheer power and violence of the woman's voice shook Marina to her very core, and drew her from her trance. Gathering as much energy as possible, she attempted, once again, to stand, and to her surprise, found that she could. This time, no force had knocked her down.

"Good. Now, I want you to attack me."

"What?"

No matter how hazy everything was, or how tired her brain was, Marina knew one thing. This woman was definitely mad.

"Come on."

"I can't!"

"Is that all you can ever say?! I can't, I can't! Pathetic!"

The woman's face had hardened and twisted into a scowl, as she looked disdainfully at Marina. Raising her hands, she looked fixedly at her, her eyes seeming to change colour.

_"Forbearne! Akwele!"_

The last thing Marina saw was a fireball hurtling towards her at full speed, before passing out, crumpling onto the ground once more.

**oOo**

_"Ic acwoce the! Ic the bebeode thaet thu me slaepest! Brimstream!"_

"Merlin, I don't think it's powerful enough. There's no point in trying anymore. Nothing is happening...and Gwen will be coming back any second now.

"Once more, let me try once more."

"Merlin-"

Drowning out Gaius' voice, Merlin focused everything on the incantation. It was the only thing he could do to bring her back, and he wanted to give it all he had.

_"Ic acwoce the! Ic the bebeode thaet thu me slaepest! Brimstream!"_

Before he could even react, Marina had woken up, wide eyed and gasping for air, her tear streaked face terrified. Grabbing Merlin's shirt, she looked up at him, her eyes searching his.

"How? How do you do it?"

The intensity of her gaze agitated him. She had always avoided looking at him straight in the eyes for some reason, and yet here she was, looking deep into them, as if she thought some answer was hidden there.

"Do what? What are you talking about? Marina?"

Any strength that she had managed to gather was leaving her, and Merlin was obliged to bring himself closer to her for him to be able to hear; her voice had quietened down to a mere whisper. What she murmured in his ear was enough to turn his blood cold.

"Show me. Merlin, please, show me, help me! _Show me how to do magic_!"

Impossible! She couldn't know about his gift! Panicking, he needing to know how she had discovered his secret, Merlin took her hand into his shaking own, and was about to ask her what in the world was happening to her, when she suddenly went limp, and blacked out for the second time.

**oOo**

"Merlin's magic may be strong, but he still has much to learn."

Marina was back in the dark forest, limbs aching, head pounding. Sheer desperation had pushed her to say what she had to Merlin. Looking back, she realised how foolish she must have sounded. Perhaps they would denounce her to the King, and she would be burnt.

"Well...if you won't accept your magic, I shall have to shock you into using it."

"Don't you think you've shocked me enough?"

"Obviously not, if you are still unwilling to accept what I am telling you."

Too worn out to tell the woman for the thousandth time that she had no powers, Marina simply hung her head down and listened to her, hoping that somehow, all of this would disappear and she would be back amongst her friends, enjoying the moments life offered her.

Suddenly, Marina realised that she could no longer hear the woman's voice. Looking around her, she saw that she was now alone again, and fear swamped through her as she imagined what the madwoman had meant by "shocking her". Hearing strange sounds, ones that did not belong to the forest, she stood up, shaking a little, trying to identify its origin. As it got louder and louder, Marina looked around widely, now desperately trying to figure out what it was. Then, a deep growl sounded behind her. Marina turned around just in time to see a wolf leaping towards her, claws out, ready to tear her apart. Marina screamed, terror paralysing her. As she screamed, she felt something within her stir, something she had only felt once before, when she had first met Merlin. A deafening crash was heard, and as she looked at where the wolf should have landed, she saw that it had been propelled half a meter away, and was now lying cold on the floor.

"Well done."

Marina spun round to find herself face to face with the woman, who was now beaming at her.

"Believe me now?"

"What?"

"You don't think that wolf's trajectory changed all by itself now do you?"

"I don't. But whatever it was that happened, I didn't do it."

"Oh come on Marina! Does it not seem a bit too much of a coincidence that just as you stretch out your hands, the wolf gets thrown backwards?"

"I did not – "

But she had. Could it be? Could this woman really be telling the truth? Marina nearly let herself be swayed, until she suddenly remembered something.

"It can't be. In fact, it's impossible. Magic is inherited. No one in my family has ever had it."

"All is not as you think it is child."

"What do you mean? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It is not yet time for me to tell you. I think you are now ready to get back to your friends. Until we meet again Marina..."

And with this, the lady bowed her head, and disappeared. Marina, unable to stay alert any longer, let herself fall to the ground, still seeing the woman's graceful smile as she slipped away.

**oOo**

Merlin breathed a sigh of relief as Marina finally opened her eyes. He had started to think that she wouldn't come back. But now that she was back, he had a problem. A big one.

"Marina, thank goodness!" Gaius hurried over to Marina, motioning for Gwen to bring him the water she had gotten.

"I'm just going to examine you to make sure nothing is out of place."

Still under shock, Marina simply nodded and let Gaius do his work. As he checked her arm for broken bones, Merlin saw that she had winced slightly. There was a huge cut running from her shoulder down to her elbow. Merlin frowned. That cut had not been there before and yet she hadn't left the bed. Gaius treated the cut, bandaged it, and then turned to Gwen.

"Could you please prepare a sleeping draft? She's going to need some rest but might find it difficult to sleep after what she's been through."

Merlin decided to see if he could gently glean any information on what had happened whilst Gwen was busy getting the draft done.

"Marina? Marina, why did you need to use magic?"

She was looking at him; intently. But no words came out. She did not want to tell him.

"What happened? Tell me!"

With what seemed a colossal effort, she took a deep breath, and spoke.

"It was the fever...I guess I must have...been working too much...got the better of me..."

"But it was more than a fever! You were crying, you even screamed at some point!"

"Hallucinations...from...fever..."

Too tired to carry on, Marina gave up, and closed her eyes, leaving Merlin thoughtful as to what she had said. Once she had been given the draft and was fast asleep and Gwen had gone back to her chambers, Gaius voiced his concern.

"She's not telling us everything. Something happened to her."

"And that cut...I don't understand how it got there..."

"Merlin...Although we can be sure of nothing at the moment, make sure you keep an eye on her, she could be in danger..."

Knowing that Gaius was right, Merlin looked over to where Marina slept deeply, and wondered exactly what the poor girl had gone through, and what had pushed her to make such a disturbing request towards him.


	5. Searching for the Ward

It had been six months since Morgana had disappeared, yet King Uther continued to send his Knights and his only son in search of his ward. Arthur could not help but feel pessimistic about the whole situation. Surely, if Morgana was to be found, she would have appeared by now, especially seeing as there seemed to be search parties out every day.

Arthur paced his room as he thought of the extent of loss they had sustained on these quests; he had already lost many of his fine Knights on such searches. Arthur was of course concerned about the well-being of Morgana and it pained him dearly to think of the danger she could be in, but his father's mental state was a whole new issue. Uther was suffering; his obsession with both the search for Morgana and her absence seemed to be troubling him beyond the realms of sanity. He was left weak and mentally fragile. Who could have foreseen such a fate of pure misery and desperation?

Arthur urged himself to regain control of his emotions... he had to be strong... for his father, his King, for Morgana and for Camelot! With these thoughts came a great burden that pressed heavily on the Prince's shoulders, visibly weighing him down. What was he to do? How could he help his father and Morg-?

A knock interrupted Arthur's thoughts.

"Come in."

A guard entered into the Prince's chambers, his eyes intense with urgency.

"Sire, the King requested your presence immediately."

"Of course." Replied the prince as he followed his messenger to the council chambers.

Arthur stood inches away from his father's throne. He searched the King's face for any signs of improvement but was disappointed to see that his eyes still burned with sorrow.

"Arthur."

"Yes father?"

"I need you to send out more men to search the woods."

"But, father, a search party has just returned this morning. They need to rest before they can go out again."

"Do  _not_  question my orders! Send out another party; we have enough Knights. I want you to join them." The king paused; his face softened as his rage subsided, giving way to grief and desperation. "Arthur, you don't understand, I promised Morgana's father that I would protect his daughter! I cannot lose her now, I need her found!" Frustration consumed the King's face; his eyes screamed with pain as he met Arthur's gaze, momentarily, before the Prince looked away. Uther's emotions were too raw to contain, they seemed to pierce through the air, straight into Arthur's soul, silencing his protests.

"Yes, Sire...but ...I require the presence of a healer on our journey. It would help elongate the search as well as our efficiency,"

"Yes, yes. I'm sure Gaius would be willing to join you. You leave tomorrow."

"Yes, Sire." Arthur bowed to his father and turned to towards his chambers, closely followed by Merlin.

Arthur stood in his room, completely outraged and more than a little frustrated. How could his father expect him to send out more Knights when there was no trace of Morgana to follow, no lead to hold on to?!

Arthur slammed his fists against the wooden table that stood in the centre of his chamber. Across from him, Merlin watched on in wonder; his eyebrows hovering in the midst of his pale forehead.

"You may want to ease off the table a little; that is if you need your hands in the near future."

"Shut up, Merlin!"

"Well, you cannot just go around punching the furniture!"

"If you don't shut up I will be punching you instead!"

Merlin's forehead creased as he unwillingly eased his taunting.

"You really wouldn't want to do that! Who would muck out your stables then?"

Merlin's attempt to lighten Arthur's mood was failing miserably. He could only stand and watch Arthur's worry deepen as he thought out the details of his next mission.

"I need to see Gaius."

**oOo**

Gwen stood peering down at what had now become her favourite book, " _The miracle remedies of nature_ ", as she carefully followed the instructions. Gaius had allowed her more freedom than she could ever imagine and for that she was grateful.

"Finally, add some mandrake root followed by half a glass of water." Gwen read.

"Gaius?"

The physician looked up from his books to glance at his apprentice.

"Yes Gwen?"

"Do we have any mandrake root left?"

"Check the shelf behind you; I think Merlin collected some for us last week."

As Gwen turned to search for the secret ingredient to the most powerful of sleeping drafts, the chamber door swung open. Prince Arthur walked toward them, his face secured in a hard, stern expression as Merlin followed in his shadow.

"Arthur, I was not expecting to see you. May I be of assistance?"

"Gaius, my father is sending me out on another search for Morgana but this time I would like you to come with us; we need all the help we can get!"

"Arthur, that's not wise. I am not as young as I once was, I would only hold you up."

"But Gaius, we need a healer or physician, you of all people know exactly what these trips demand of our men."

"I am aware Sire, but I fear I would be more of a burden than useful. However, Gwen, here, is youthful, energetic and very knowledgeable."

At the mention of her name, Gwen looked up from her bubbling potion.

"Me?" Gwen looked questioningly at Gaius, who returned her glance of disbelief and discomfort with the slightest of smiles.

"Gwen…?" repeated Arthur thoughtfully.

"Yes, Gwen, Sire. I will help her prepare all that you may need on your search."

The Prince turned to the young woman. He paused for a few moments, thinking through Gaius' suggestion as Gwen squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Alright then, we leave tomorrow at dawn."

Arthur gave a slight nod to Gaius and a glance of acknowledgement to Gwen before heading out of the chamber.

"Wow, he looked tense." Gwen noted aloud.

"Pfft, you should have seen him five minutes ago, half the furniture in his room is bruised." said Merlin, shaking his head while Gaius raised his brow in wonder.

"Oh dear, well we better get on with preparing for tomorrow then." replied Gwen.

"What's going on tomorrow?" asked Marina, who had managed to walk into Gaius' chambers, unnoticed. She stood by the door with an expression of itching curiosity and suspicion.

"I'm accompanying a search party tomorrow at dawn with Prince Arthur and Merlin." answered Gwen.

"Oh, you mean, WE're going with a search party tomorrow at dawn..." replied Marina who stubbornly folded her arms across her chest and glared at her friend. Gwen knew that look all too well and was sure that she would not be leaving Camelot without Marina- no matter what or who.

"But...Marina... I think you're going to have to ask Prince Arthur." She really was desperate for Marina to join them on their trip, she didn't want to be with a bunch of arrogant Knights on her own.

"Yeah, she's right Marina. Arthur is not in a very agreeable mood at the moment." Merlin added.

"Well, I'll just get my things ready and tell him at dawn that I'm coming."

Gwen couldn't help but smile at her friend. 'TELL the Prince, not ASK... of course…' she mused silently.

"I guess you could give it a shot, I don't think he'd mind too much." replied Merlin, whose eyes seemed to be focused intensely on Marina as though he were expecting her to spontaneously ignite.

**oOo**

"Marina, wake up! We have to be out in less than a minute!"

Gwen had not slept very well that night and soon gave up on trying; instead, she had begun to organise her own things, along with Marina's, in preparation for their looming trip. Seeing her best friend conked out on her bed, she had known that there was no way she would wake up in time to do it herself. As tough as Marina liked to act in her waking moments, she couldn't deny that sleep was her weakness. Whereas it took a few seconds for Gwen to fall asleep, Marina could take hours, but once she was out, there was no waking her until she decided to wake up. Not only that, but she slept like the dead. Gwen giggled as she recalled what had happened that one time, when they had been around 15. They had been strolling about in the forest, as they so often did back then, and had decided to take a quick nap in a meadow they had stumbled upon. Gwen, enjoying the sunshine and the smell of summer, had fallen asleep quickly. It wasn't long before she was awake again. Sitting up, she saw a few squirrels attempting to get into Marina's bag, which she kept close to her chest. The bread and fruit she had stuffed in there had probably attracted them. They had climbed on her and were actively trying to pry it open, making horrendous clicking noises all the while. She saw their claws leaving imprints on Marina's dress, but this did not seem to bother her friend. She slept as heavily as a log. Laughing, Gwen had been forced to chase away the furry animals before waking her up. Since then, she had always made sure she slept near Marina if they were outside. Gwen smiled fondly at the memory, before remembering where she was. They needed to be out in front of the stables in ten minutes!

"Marina, come on, hurry up! Wake up, wake  _up_!"

Marin gradually opened her eyes and croaked,

"Why are you waking me up, I want to sleep!"

"Oh for goodness sake, Marina, we have a search party to join—remember?! We're going to be late, now get a move on!" with that, Gwen occupied herself with the last of the preparations while Marina jumped out of bed and hurried to get herself ready.

On their way to the stables, Gwen shared her worries with her friend; she knew Marina would listen.

"Marina?"

"Yes?"

"I don't know if I can do this. I mean, I haven't been Gaius' apprentice for that long. How am I meant to know everything I need to know and be expected to use it... and what's worse is that I'm caring for Knights! They're nobles for goodness sake, what do they think I am: a physician?! As much as I do wish it to be true... it's not!"

"Gwen,"

"I mean, honestly, what if a Knight dies because of me. What happens then? Would Uther execute me? Oh God, he probably would!"

" _Gwen_! Hush up already and listen! You will NOT mess up. You're nervous but that's natural, it is only to be expected. Besides you know more about this stuff than the whole search party put together, let alone the King. And to be honest, I don't think  _Prince_  Arthur would allow your execution." Marina concluded with a broad grin stretching across her face.

"Oh, why thank you, Marina, I'm so glad to hear that if Uther decides to execute me, probably because I would have  _killed_  a Knight, Prince Arthur could stop him. That makes me feel so much better!" replied Gwen sarcastically.

**oOo**

Outside the stables, Arthur stood in his armour with Merlin at his side.

"Marina, have you come to see Gwen off? How nice of you." He asked this with an amused smile.

"No Sire, I will be joining you today." Marina replied confidently as Gwen stood nervously beside her. The Prince's smile faltered momentarily before he added,

"Oh but that is not possible. I only asked for Gwen to join us. There is no need for you to-"

"I'm coming." interrupted Marina, her eyes flashing dangerously. Gwen was sure Arthur felt the force of her friend's words as much as she had. "I will not leave Gwen's side. That has always been the way with us; where she goes, I go."

"Marina. I know you care about Gwen but she will be just fine, no harm will come to her; that I can promise you myself."

"That's not good enough." Marina pushed on; her determination was rooted to the ground, she would not be swayed.

"Enough. Marina, I said-"

"I don't care what you've said or what you're going to say. I'm coming so don't try to stop me, you... er... um"

"Clot pole." Merlin finished Marina's sentence, then glanced at her, his eyes sparkling with humour. He was clearly enjoying this more than anyone.

The Prince turned to face his man servant; he raised his brow and said,

"What is it with you and clot pole. I thought we have already discussed this 'Merlin word'. It does NOT exist."

"Well actually, you will find that the definition of 'clot pole' is right in front of us." Marina pointed out only to Arthur's annoyance and Merlin's pleasure.

"Ok, fine! You can come. Just stay out of my way and do NOT distract Gwen." The prince stared pointedly at Gwen, who, within seconds, seemed to turn a million shades of red.

Just then, a group of Knights walked towards them. They were fully dressed in heavy, gleaming, well-polished armour. They maintained their elite posture faultlessly: backs straight and firm, shoulders held stern and their heads tilted towards the sky. The Knights' swords swung at their side as they approached the stables. They seemed divine to all those who were ordinary; but Gwen and Marina were far from ordinary. They both looked on in disgust which they failed to hide.

"Greetings Sire," began one of the Knights, clearly their assumed spokesman and front man.

"Good morning Sir Leon." Arthur addressed the Knight. He then turned towards the others and added,

"I hope you are all ready, we will be leaving immediately."

"Yes Sire, but there is just one uncertainty..."

"Yes? What is it?"

"Are these two maids joining us today?" asked Sir Leon. A few random, mocking sniggers spread among the group of Knights.

"Yes they are." The Prince answered. He had been expecting such a confrontation, for he himself had wondered if taking them along was a good idea. "They are not maids. Gwen, here, is our stand in Physician and this is Marina, her  _assistant._ " He said the last word with a particular emphasis as he remembered Marina's  _request_  - if it could be called so- moments ago.

"But Sire, they will only hinder us. We shall have to defend them as well as ourselves." The Knight glared accusingly at the two girls who merely returned his hostility.

"Prince Arthur, I would just like to add to this conversation that Marina and I can defend ourselves perfectly well. We do NOT need any assistance. Hopefully we can offer more than we will receive."

Gwen spoke these words with a sweet yet bitter tone as she looked at Arthur, completely ignoring the presence of his Knights. She turned her head slightly and shared a momentary glance with Marina, both thinking back to previous conversations about the assumed  _nobility_  of Knights and their arrogance.

Arthur could not help but stare at his healer who had never before spoken out of turn. He wondered about her character; she seemed calm yet determined. Something about her intrigued him, but he could not put his finger on what. Arthur blinked in attempt to clear is mind and replied,

"Sir Leon, I would think that answers your uncertainty quite firmly."

A smile was visible in Arthur's eyes as he moved towards his horse in silent amusement.


	6. Secrets and Offers

Hours passed by as the search party continued to ride through the woods in the near vicinity of Camelot and its walls. They had slowly begun edging out further, widening their search in hope for more success.

Arthur led the way on an elegant white mare with Merlin closely behind to his right. Gwen and Marina rode alongside Merlin forming a straight line. Signs of fatigue had started to creep in on both the girls but their determination to remain strong kept them going. They would not allow themselves to give in to the knights' accusations of their assumed weakness. The Knights of Camelot followed behind the four horses keeping the group compact, controlled and well organised.

The sun was beginning to set, the temperature dropped rapidly and what had been a slight breeze became short gusts of wind. Merlin's teeth began chattering as they rode through the woods.

"What is that noise?" Arthur asked, looking around him.

"What noise?" replied Merlin.

"It's just stopped... wait..." Arthur paused as he listened intently.

"It's started again." The Prince turned to look at Merlin only to see his jaw vibrating violently.

"Ahh, so it's you! Are you  _scared_ , Merlin?" A mocking smile formed on Arthur's lips. "Look at Gwen and Marina, they haven't made a sound!"

"I'm not scared!" exclaimed Merlin, his ears turning a deep shade of red verging on purple. "I'm just cold."

Arthur's smile widened, "Cold...? Perhaps your fear is making you feel cold?"

"No, of course not. That doesn't even make sense."

Merlin scowled at the back of his master's head. He really didn't appreciate being embarrassed in front of his friends; what were Gwen and Marina supposed to think? The girls both smiled knowingly at each other and turned to look straight ahead. Gwen was trying to act as indifferent as possible to minimise Merlin's discomfort, while Marina pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to burst out laughing.

"Merlin, YOU don't make sense." Arthur laughed to himself. He had missed this; it felt as though he hadn't teased Merlin in far too long. "Seriously, you just take one look at y-"

Arthur's face turned stone hard. His eyes became serious and alert as they darted around his followers.

"What?" Merlin asked as he looked at the Prince with total confusion.

"Shhh!" Arthur held up his hand, silencing Merlin and leading his group to a halt. He grew more apprehensive with each second that passed. He'd heard something in the woods... he was sure of it... he just couldn't quite place the exact location.

Behind him, the Knights mimicked their Prince's stance, ready to attack.

Tension hung thick above their heads as they waited for the smallest of movements. Gwen and Marina didn't dare breathe as they waited for a confirmation that all was well; a confirmation that never came.

A loud groan sounded directly behind Marina. Everyone turned to see the source: Sir Leon. He had fallen off his horse and lay crumpled on the cold, uneven ground. An arrow was protruding from his abdomen; his eyes were screwed in agony as he took short sharp gasps of air.

Swiftly, dark figures appeared from behind the trees and began tightening their trap around the search party, each step drawing them nearer to their victims. Within seconds, all the Knights, including the Prince, had dismounted from their horses and began swinging their swords at their attackers. The knights had formed a ring around Merlin, the girls and the wounded Sir Leon.

Without further hesitation, Gwen jumped off her horse and ran towards her patient, clutching her equipment tight against her chest. Her instincts taking over, the wasted no time in inspecting Sir Leon's wound.

Gradually, as more Knights began to fall, the ring of security around Merlin and the girls was penetrated by the bandits, who had spotted an opportunity at the sight of the gaping holes in their victims' defences.

Merlin and Marina stood back to back, each clutching a tree branch. They looked on in shock as the sound of metal rang through the woods. Screams of shock and agony escaped without warning. Panicking, Marina scanned her surroundings for Gwen. She was relieved to glimpse her friend making her way around to the wounded knights. Her relief was drowned by frustration and fear as she saw a masked figure creep behind Gwen, holding his sword above his head, ready to strike... to kill.

Marina had just started to move towards Gwen when she saw Arthur swing his sword in one swift motion, decapitating the anonymous figure from behind. Gwen looked up in shock, only to see Arthur standing over her. . Both relief and concern were in his eyes, as well as something else...something that stirred within Gwen both thrill and fright as she gazed up at him. Moments later, Arthur turned his attention to another attacker, leaving Gwen to doubt what she thought she had felt.

**oOo**

Amidst the heat of the fight, Merlin was concentrating solely on Arthur. Many times he'd had to intervene to stop the prince being cut in pieces; although he could never actually take any credit for it...As much as he'd like to. As Arthur swung round to parry a blow from one of the attackers, Merlin noticed that one of the bandits, perched on a tree and armed with a bow and arrow, was aiming straight for Arthur's chest. Without thinking, he let his magic flow through him; reaching the branch he crouched on and causing it to snap. Merlin smiled, hearing the satisfying thud.

His smiled faded as he realised that he had been seen.

She was standing opposite him, her eyes boring into his. If Marina had doubted what he was before, she knew it now. Shaking, Merlin forced himself to look away. The knights had fought off all their attackers successfully, and the convoy started making further progress in the search for Morgana.

Merlin avoided looking across at Marina, knowing full well that once they were back in Camelot, she would be on his case, if not before that. So much for keeping his secret safe. How could he have been so stupid? What was she goin to say? Strangely, no matter how icy her glare had been, he knew she wouldn't denounce him to the King...He had to believe he could trust her and hope that she would understand.

**oOo**

"This will do. Merlin and Marina, gather some wood for us to light a fire. Make sure there's enough."

It was well after sunset now, and the search party had come across a small clearing, where a river ran not far off. They were to spend the night there. Although one person was largely sufficient to collect the amount of kindling needed, Marina knew this was Arthur's form of revenge on her for challenging his authority earlier. Well, if he thought this would get to her, he was wrong. Head held high, she walked off into the forest, pointedly not waiting for Merlin.

As they looked around for dry wood, Marina decided to broach the subject that had been the reason for the tension between Merlin and herself.

"I saw what you did Merlin..."

Merlin's awkward reply came half a minute later.

"I did nothing."

"Oh no...nope. I must have been imagining it then..."

"Probably."

Marina could not believe that Merlin honestly thought she was that stupid. As she prepared to throw back a cutting remark, she saw Arthur making his way towards them.

"What  _are_  you both doing?"

"Getting wood. Like you royal highness asked." Marina was already furious at Merlin, she did not need this arrogant, self-elevating  _plonk_  involving himself into the mess.

"Are you perchance angry Marina? Or maybe it is the fact that I sent you here to assist Merlin...I'm sorry about that but you see, I have entire authority over you and you would do well to remember it in future."

That was the last straw. He clearly had not appreciated her defiance earlier on and wanted to reassert his position. She might have gone a little far but this was undeserved. If he thought she was going to bow down to him, he had another thing coming.

"If your pompous, self-aggrandising, stupid royal  _ass_  thinks that you can order me around as you please, you can think again because I am  _not_  one of your toy soldiers for you to play with. And neither is he!"

Pointing at Merlin, Marina carried on insulting the Prince until she physically exhausted herself. Only then did she realise that she had made a big mistake. She was in serious trouble. Her temper had always been a bit hard to restrain but...she had called the prince of Camelot an ass...not good. Waiting for the death blow that was sure to come, Marina looked over at Merlin, who, to her extreme annoyance, was smiling.

"Well, now that you've gotten  _that_  out of your system, would you mind actually doing something productive and gather that wood I asked for?" And, with a slight smile hovering on his lips, the prince walked off, leaving an utterly confused Marina looking after him.

"Don't worry, I called him an ass the first time I met him...and look where it got me..."

"Don't think you're off the hook Merlin."

**oOo**

Arthur returned to the clearing where the search party was to stay for the night. As he approached, he saw Gwen rummaging through a bag with a focused frown placed firmly on her fatigue stricken face. She sat beside a knight who lay on the ground, grunting with pain; his bandaged arm fixed to his chest.

The prince stopped inches behind Gwen, leaning against a tree, and watched her tend to the wounded knight. He could see her determination and desire to make sure the wounded was as comfortable as possible. This surprised him somewhat seeing as Gwen had made her opinion of knights quite clear.

Arthur watched on as Gwen supported the knight's head while she poured a bright red fizzing potion into his mouth. Moments later, the knight's groans began to subside as he gradually fell into a deep sleep.

"You should probably get some rest now." Arthur said as he stepped out of the shadows, taking a few steps towards Gwen.

Her body jolted with surprise as she turned to face him.

"Oh Sire! I did not hear you coming! You frightened me!"

She got to her feet, holding her hand over her chest as if to make sure her heart was still in place.

"Sorry, I did not mean to scare you; you just seemed so focused, I did not want to interrupt." Arthur answered as he pointed his head towards the sleeping Knight. "You have done well today, Gwen. I'd like to thank you for that. Without you, our losses would have been far greater." His voice was thick with gratitude, causing Gwen to blush as she looked down at her feet. She thanked God fervently for the night's darkness which hid her embarrassment more successfully than she ever could.

"I was merely doing my job, Sire."

"Well, you did it well."

"I have you to thank for that. You saved my life today." Gwen dared to look up at Arthur as she spoke. Her breath caught in her throat when she met his gaze, but she urged herself to hold it for a few seconds longer, just enough for him to feel her sincerity.

"Hmm... yes...I think…"Arthur frowned as he played the events of the attack, "we're going to have to teach you some self-defence." he concluded.

"Self defence?!" Gwen echoed with shock.

"Yes, you could probably join some of our knight training. We train everyday but you can come once a week; that way y-"

"No Sire, I can't!" Gwen looked pleadingly at Arthur before adding "Sir Leon would mock me every second of this training. You do recall my comments before we left Camelot... oh God... what was I thinking... in fact, I wasn't thinking...he'll probably hold it against me for the rest of my life, let alone training... I can't, I really can't." Gwen finished in one breath, her eyes frantic.

Arthur could not help but laugh as he looked at his flustered maid.

"See, even you are laughing at me!" Gwen said in a small, embarrassed voice. Fixing her gaze back to her feet she wished the ground beneath her could just open up and swallow her. Social interactions with royalty were really not her strong point.

"No, no! I am not laughing at you at all! It's just... maybe I could get Sir Leon to train you one on one." Although the prince had stopped laughing, a grin was now planted firmly across his face. For some peculiar reason, he seemed to be enjoying teasing Gwen, who looked up in pure, mortified horror.

"I really hope that was a joke, Sire!" she said, voice quivering as her eyes stung with tears of frustration and embarrassment.

Arthur noted this change and immediately regretted his comments. He'd clearly upset Gwen without meaning to. His humour disappeared as guilt took its place.

"Yes it was a joke, Gwen, but not a very good one. I'm sorry." The prince's tone returned to seriousness as he attempted to make amends for his previous lack of consideration. "I would like to train you myself...that is if you accept my offer."

Gwen looked up in surprise. The prince of Camelot wanted to train her himself! She could not even begin to imagine how this could work out. She felt her blood rush to her face as she struggled for words.

"But... but Sire, I'm helpless when it comes to using a sword. I'd only be a pain…" she managed.

"No, you would not be a pain Gwen, and your lack of skill with a sword is the exact reason for my request. I can't have anything hurt you!"

Arthur blinked in surprise, the intensity of his own voice throwing him off guard; the words had escaped his lips before he could fully comprehend their meaning. "I mean, Marina would kill me!" he added quickly. He studied Gwen's face to make sure she had not noticed his lapse of concentration and was relieved to see that she was still trying to deal with his offer.

"I will give you more time to think about it. You do not need to rush to a decision right now." He added. "And I meant it when I said you needed to rest!"

Gwen, still lost for words, bowed to her prince, "Good night, My Lord."

"Good night, Gwen." Arthur replied before turning to look for a spot to sleep on.

She chose to sleep near the wounded knights so that she could easily tend to their needs during the night. Her mind was racing as she tried to take in what had just happened. Arthur... training her... it was an absurd offer, yet she knew she could not refuse.

"Oh Gwen, by the way, if Sir Leon says anything to you, just remind him who saved his life today." Arthur's voice was firm yet reassuring as he made himself comfortable and ready for bed.

A small smile formed on Gwen's lips as she relaxed into the grass beneath her. She could not fully comprehend the kindness Arthur showed her, but she didn't really want to.

"Prince Arthur?"

"Yes?"

"I accept your offer."


End file.
